At least eight people are feared to have
drowned on Monday when a migrant boat with dozens of Tunisians collided with a
navy vessel off the country’s southeast coast, according to its defence
ministry.

International Organization for Migration
(IOM) spokesman Flavio Di Giacomo said that there between 70 and 80 people on
board; while some 40 had been rescued, almost all Tunisians, at least 20 people
were missing.

The accident happened off the coast of Tunisia, from
where there has been a recent increase in the number of migrants attempting the
Mediterranean crossing towards Europe after Italy struck a deal in July to
limit the flow from war-torn Libya.